Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi, is a sixteen year old boy sailing from his home in India to his new home in Canada on the cargo ship Tsimtsum along with his brother Ravi, parents and a collection of his Father's zoo animals which are to be sold in America. As expected, Pi isn't overly fond of the idea of moving to a completely new and different country, leaving everything and everyone he knows and loves behind would be no easy challenge but this soon becomes in the least of his worries. On July 7th 1977 the Tsimtsum ship sinks leaving Pi the only human survivor on a life boat floating on the Pacific Ocean. He isn't entirely alone though. He does have a zebra ...  Read the complete review

Back in 2002, I was 16 and when I read The Life of Pi it was completely lost on me. I thought it was flippant, unbelievable, and a bit boring. Well, that's because 16 year old me was an idiot! When I re-read the novel this year, I was captivated from the faux-foreword on page 1. I laughed and cried as the narrative demanded; I was putty in Yann Martel's skilful hands. The story is of a young Indian boy named Piscine Molitor and nicknamed Pi. His father owns Pondicherry Zoo, and Pi and his brother have been brought up through the 70s working with the animals. When the political situation in India becomes tense, the family sell most of their animals, ...  Read the complete review

As a university student in London about 10 years ago I used to have to travel on the tube everyday. I remember seeing a lot of commuters reading a book called Life of Pi whilst on the train. I'd always been puzzled by the title - I thought it would have something to do with Maths and despite being a scientist and quite mathematically minded a book about Maths for light reading just did not appeal. Fast forward to the present day, well a couple of months ago really. I was browsing through the Amazon Kindle top 100 list I spotted this book to download for free. Reading the blurb I was intrigued and decided to download this and give it a go. Life of ...  Read the complete review

I recently wrote a review of a film that really moved me. I believe I started it by explaining that, every now and then, along comes a film that really makes you stop and think. Well, on a recommendation by my wife, I have just finished reading 'Life of Pi' by Yann Martel. I can now honestly say that, every now and then, along comes a book that really makes you stop and think! The book was the winner of the Man Booker Prize in 2002, but I have never really been one for reading books just because they have won an award. As with most things, I believe that literature is down to personal taste as much as anything else. Yes, it needs a captivating writing style ...  Read the complete review

The Life of Pi is one of those books which it's very difficult to write a review on, for all sorts of reasons. Say too little about the plot and it sounds dull; say too much, and it all sounds a little stupid and unlikely. There are certain words that sum it up in easy sound bites: "whimsical", "charming" and "quirky" are just three, but these adjectives only make sense once you've read the book. Indeed, had someone said them to me before I read it, that may have put me off it. The Life of Pi tells the story of Piscene Patel, an Indian boy whose family (and their zoo) makes a journey from India to Canada to start a new life. On ...  Read the complete review